Republic Services:
Changing the way the world
thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Table of Contents
E. Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
1.
Design of the Recycling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Regulatory Compliance .
2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4. Performance, Economics & Cost-Effectiveness .
5. Use of Equipment/Systems and Technologies .
. . . . . 9
. . . . . 10
6. Worker Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
7.
Public Acceptance, Appearance and Aesthetics .
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
. . . . 15
E
Executive Summary
Republic Service’s Newby Island Recyclery is considered the largest and
most capable materials recovery facility in the world and has proven its
worth by more than tripling the city of San José’s commercial recycling
rate to nearly 70 percent in less than one year.
Single stream recycling facilities are common. There are even large
systems that process a mix of commercial waste. But no other facility
processes this range of the waste stream at this rate of recovery.
None.
San José partnered with Republic to provide an innovative wet/dry
collection program for the city’s businesses, a unique approach to
commercial waste processing and one that could not be accomplished
without the Recyclery: a single material recovery facility with the
capability to process an unprecedented list of recovered commodities at
an unprecedented rate.
This revolutionary approach—and spectacular results—is already
changing the way the world looks at waste recovery.
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Executive Summary
PAGE 1
1
Design of the Recycling System
Considered the world’s largest multi-material processing system, the
Recyclery, owned and operated by Republic Services, Inc. in San José,
began operations in July 2012 as the first of its kind: a single material
recovery facility built to accept four unique material streams to produce a
significant list of recovered commodities at a rate never before achieved.
Capable of handling a total of 420,000 tons of
in northern California, the facility was reconstructed
food, single-stream recyclables and commercial
based on Republic’s award of a commercial franchise
waste each year and processing up to 110 tons
agreement with the city of San José. The agreement
of multi-stream material per hour, makes it the
provides Republic the opportunity to collect wet and
largest (by volume) and most capable materials
dry waste from more than 8,000 businesses within
recovery facility in the world.
the city and, due to the unique processing system,
Because of the unparalleled ability of the Recyclery,
Republic is able to guarantee every business in San
the city of San José reported in March of 2013 that its
commercial recovery rate tripled just a few months
after the opening of the facility, from less than 25
percent to 70 percent. Although the Recyclery
provides processing for a number of municipalities
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
José is in automatic compliance with California
Assembly Bill 341 (requiring mandatory recycling
for businesses). Everything collected is delivered to
the Recyclery for processing with very little residue
actually being disposed of in the landfill.
Design of the Recycling System
PAGE 2
The innovative and flexible design ensures that
much equipment as previously housed in the same
the system is able to adapt to market conditions
building, doubled the size of the tipping floor, and
over Republic’s 15-year contract with San José
tripled the amount of processing capacity.
and more than expected to meet San José’s
Further modifications include the addition and
diversion requirement of 80 percent by 2014.
Rated as the nation’s number one city for
recycling and long known for its progressive
approach to recycling through its bold “Green
Vision” plan to reach zero waste by 2022, San
José was previously recovering less than 25
percent of its commercial waste. With the new
system, the city diversion rate has more than
tripled to 70 percent, closing in on the highest
such rate in the nation.
integration of a new state-of-the-art container
processing system capable of handling inputs
from all other processing lines simultaneously.
Engineering, manufacturing and installation of
the massive system was completed in less than
a year, thanks to modular equipment design
comprising more than 60 pieces of major
equipment, an impressive 307 motors, more than
a mile and a half’s worth of conveyors and some
60,000 bolts. The modifications to the system
“The investment in advanced waste processing facilities
generates new green jobs, turns waste into energy and
demonstrates San José’s innovative leadership toward a
sustainable future.” – San José Mayor Chuck Reed
At the crux of the system are four customerdesigned lines, able to handle four material streams
simultaneously. In addition to the 33-tph residential
single-stream line, there are three commercial
lines: a 20-tph wet line for food and organics, a
35-tph dry waste line, and a 22-tph commercial
single-stream line. The system processes singlestream material and all types of commercial
waste, including demolition debris, paper, metals,
cardboard, wood, film, rigid plastics, carpet,
aggregates, wall board and other materials that
might traditionally be discarded.
The commercial wet line is designed to process
food waste from all restaurants, groceries and
other commercial outlets from customers in San
José, a task performed in few other communities.
Recovered organics are transformed into feedstock
for a dry anaerobic digestion power generations
system, owned and operated by Zero Waste Energy
Development. The Recyclery is the first facility
in the United States to prepare material for a dry
anaerobic digestion plant.
Innovative design was the key to fitting the system
into the Recyclery’s existing footprint of 80,000
square feet. The new system provides for twice as
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
were made to accommodate a new traffic flow
and an increased processing area inside the
building. The design’s key elements were the
replacement of the commercial processing line
with a state-of-the-art “dry” processing line, the
addition of a “wet/food processing” line and the
addition of several “front-end” modifications
to the single-stream residential processing
line to allow for the processing of commercial
recyclables as a back-up to the new dry line.
Design of the Recycling System
PAGE 3
Based on industry review, Republic is the only
attention from municipalities nationwide, many of
company currently capable of providing this level
whom have traveled to tour the facility and bring
of material recovery. The Recyclery has garnered
the innovative processing ideas back to their own
cities, collection and processing providers. With
“This advanced facility is ahead of the curve. It’s the first
of its kind and is a fantastic example of how the scope
of our industry is expanding to recover materials from a
wide variety of waste streams,” said BHS CEO Steve Miller.
this facility, Republic expects to not only meet
but exceed San José’s 80 percent diversion and
continue to blaze a trail toward zero waste.
The following schematics detail each of the
processing and container lines:
(continued on next page)
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Design of the Recycling System
PAGE 4
(continued on next page)
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Design of the Recycling System
PAGE 5
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Design of the Recycling System
PAGE 6
2
Regulatory Compliance
Republic strongly supports and advocates the five R’s of Sustainability:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renew, and Responsibility.
The five R’s of Sustainability are not mere slogans,
regional prosperity in the communities it serves
but rather they reflect Republic’s values and
and why compliance is so important.
the continued commitment to sustainability.
The Recyclery’s Solid Waste Facility Permit (SWIS
Republic understands that the sustainability of
the environment depends on how well it protects
and preserves natural resources and educate
current and future generations on environmental
compliance. In fact, Republic’s sustainability
program centers on the theme of “Protecting
Today’s Environment for a Better Tomorrow.” This
message is important to the quality of life and
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
No. 43-AN-0014) allows for Material Recovery,
Transfer Station, and Processing Facility operations.
The facility is permitted to operate 24 hours per
day and 7 days per week and can accept up
to 1600 tons per day. The facility has monthly
inspections performed by the LEA and has never
received a notice of violation.
Regulatory Compliance
PAGE 7
3
Planning
The design of the equipment package was based on the requirement
to achieve an 80 percent diversion rate in San José by 2014. During the
proposal process, waste audits of San José businesses published by
Cascadia Consulting were used to make assumptions on the material
composition in the city and to estimate the production capacity that
would be needed on each processing line.
Throughout the bidding process, planning had to
The Recyclery schedules its two shifts to allow a
be made to accommodate either the city splitting
window of opportunity for maintenance crews to
the commercial franchise service area or awarding
clean, inspect, and maintain the system between
the entire service area to one company. Due to the
day shift and swing along with a graveyard
relatively short window of time to implement the
maintenance crew.
site and equipment improvements, an expansion
of the existing 80,000 square foot building was
not possible, so the design team had to maximize
the cubic space available in the building. This
concept of maximizing the cube can be seen in
the multi-level layout throughout the system. BHS
did a tremendous job managing its supply chain
and installation crews to accommodate the project
schedule. The design team created a system built
to capture residue and optimize recovery for the
four distinct material streams and also maximized
tip floor space by utilizing two CAT 318 Material
Handlers to feed the four system infeeds.
With minor adjustments since July 2012, the
system has effectively returned an 80 percent
recovery rate for commercial materials and a 95
percent recovery rate for residential materials.
Cascadia Waste Composition
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Planning
PAGE 8
4
Performance, Economics
& Cost-Effectiveness
Republic’s number one measure of success is the facility recovery rate
and the fact that the new system tripled the city of San José commercial
recovery rate in just six months to one of the highest, if not the highest, in
the country. The system has proven capable of operating at its designed
combined production rate of 110 tons per hour which has a significant
impact on meeting the defined diversion goals.
Removing residual from the recovery process
is critical to maintaining the higher than usual
diversion rates at the Recyclery. To that end,
Republic and Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) found
that the quantity and size of the paper screens,
combined with the optical sorter strategically
placed at the top of the polishing screen has been
effective in removing nearly all containers out of
the residential paper. The system is very effective
in producing paper that meets the ever increasing
standards resulting from China’s Green Fence policy.
An additional shredder and fines screen have been
also been added to the wet waste processing line
to improve its effectiveness.
Due to the superior design and innovative
engineering, the operation has an 86 percent
up-time for the equipment and is well on the way
to hitting the set goal of 90 percent.
It is difficult to compare Republic’s costs with that of
other facilities as no similar facility exists. However,
compared to our plan, the initial investment into
the facility was greater than expected and primarily
due to costs related to facility improvements and
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Nihot Single-Drum Separator, BHS Polishing Screen
construction. It can be said, however, that the
per-ton operating costs are meeting expectations
with what was originally planned.
One of the few challenges experienced by the
Recyclery is the reduction in commodity value
from the waste stream. The amount of wet
paper received is more than expected, which has
resulted in less marketable paper. The Recyclery
staff is working closely with the collection
company team to “dry” out the stream in order to
recover higher value paper.
Performance, Economics & Cost-Effectiveness
PAGE 9
5
Use of Equipment/Systems
and Technologies
Republic Services partnered with BHS to design, manufacture and install
the processing system, the first and largest of its kind.
The following describes the operational features to
the waste stream. The consistently-sized material
manage the four distinct material streams:
allows for maximum system automation and
greater recovery of recyclables. It creates less
“You may find a MRF out there with a Nihot, you may find
a MRF with a 55-tph combined residential/commercial
single-stream line and you may find a wet line somewhere,
but we have this all under one roof.”
downtime, higher throughput and longer-lasting
– Division Manager Carl Mennie, Newby Island Recyclery
bag-opening technology that eliminates the need
processing equipment.
BHS BAG BREAKER®
The BHS Bag Breaker® is a highly effective
for manual bag openers, creating a safer work
BHS METERING BINS (2)
environment. Bagged material is fed into the
The BHS Metering Bin is a highly effective method
rotating drums effectively open the bag and spill
of feeding materials into a processing system. With
the contents while leaving the bags in one piece
a variable speed chain belt and a variable speed
and without damaging the commodities. This
drum at the discharge end, material flow to the
helps ensure a safer and steady flow of material
system can be precisely regulated. This is key for
into the system with minimal operating costs and
maintaining a consistent flow of materials into and
maintenance requirements.
Bag Breaker® at a high throughput rate. Counter
throughout the processing system.
BHS OCC SEPARATORS® (2)
The BHS OCC Separator® automatically separates
old corrugated containers (OCC) from mixed
recyclables. The uniquely designed and patented
OCC Separator® provides unmatched separation
efficiencies. Its in-line, tri-shaped discs impart a
bouncing, wavelike action on the material stream,
liberating other types of fiber and contaminants
from the OCC product. Smaller material falls
through the Inter-Face Opening (IFO) between the
discs, while the OCC travels up and over the screen
PRI-MAX™ PRIMARY REDUCERS
deck creating a clean cardboard product.
For high-capacity volume reduction of solid wastes
BHS DEBRIS ROLL SCREENS® (6)
containing metal and abrasives to a coarse particle
The BHS Debris Roll Screen® is the industry’s
size, maximizing the recovery of recyclables in
flagship disc screen. This proven, patented
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Use of Equipment/Systems and Technologies
PAGE 10
and are consolidated for sorting. The fine materials,
consisting of bottle caps, dirt, grit and small
fiber, fall through the screening surface and are
removed from the material stream in order to limit
product contamination. This 3-sort unit provides
an extremely clean container stream, resulting
in improved recovery of valuable containers and
virtually no loss of fiber to residue.
NRT MULTISORT® IR (3)
The MultiSort® IR is an advanced plastic bottle
sorting system designed to separate specific
polymers from a mixed stream of material. The
technology is the premiere sizing tool for single
separation is independent of color and depends only
stream, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Construction
upon polymer type. This rugged piece of equipment
and Demolition (C&D) waste, wood waste,
is designed for 24/7 plastic sorting. The MultiSort®
compost, green waste, plastics, glass, tires and
IR offers a proven, efficient and extremely precise
other miscellaneous materials. Patented BHS
solution for distinguishing and ejecting one type of
compound discs are in-line from shaft-to-shaft
material. NRT offers In-Flight Sorting, which detects
creating a precise opening for highly accurate
and ejects material in the air, after it has left the belt.
material sizing (see graphic). This proprietary
Other companies typically detect material on the belt
technology increases accuracy, uptime, and
and then eject sometime later. This produces error
diversion while decreasing the system’s footprint.
as material moves as well as detection error caused
Other technology, such as a trommel screen,
by belt interference. In-Flight Sorting also enables
would have never fit in the existing building.
transmissive detection, which provides the most
BHS NEWSORTERS® (3)
accurate and robust signal available. Thanks to this
advanced technology, plastics are able to be sorted
The BHS NewSorter® screen automatically
accurately on only one pass, saving time and money
separates old newsprint (ONP) from mixed paper
while increasing system throughput capacity.
and rigid containers by using BHS’ patented
in-line discs. BHS’ tri-shaped rubber discs impart a
wavelike action into the material stream, liberating
containers and smaller fiber from the ONP product.
The ONP is conveyed forward while the other
objects fall through the screen opening. The
discs help reduce material wrap, which keeps this
complicated system up and running.
BHS POLISHING SCREENS (3)
The BHS Polishing Screen is the industry’s most
effective separator of fiber and containers. This
unique screen creates three material fractions:
Mixed Fiber, Containers and Fines by using the 2-D
and 3-D characteristics of these materials. Fiber
and plastic film are conveyed over the screening
surface, while containers and other threedimensional objects roll off the back of the screen
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
EDDY CURRENT SEPARATOR
The Eddy Current Separator uses a strong
magnetic field to efficiently & accurately repel
aluminum from incoming materials, recovering
your highest value product at high levels of purity.
With the ECS, removal of aluminum from the waste
stream is precise and product loss is minimized.
The ECS is rugged, effective and reliable, offering
exceptional commodity recovery.
Use of Equipment/Systems and Technologies
PAGE 11
NRT SPYDIRS™ (3)
The SpydIR™ is an advanced infrared sorting
system that separates numerous selected
polymers from a mixed stream. It uses proprietary
technology and fast, highly sensitive algorithms to
rapidly identify unique polymer “signatures” from
their infrared spectra. In-Flight Sorting separates
NRT from the rest. In-Flight Sorting contributes to
this equipment’s industry-leading purity and hit
GLASS CLEANUP SYSTEM
rates. The SpydIR™ is able to detect numerous
The Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) Glass Clean-Up
polymer types as selected by the operator. This
System is designed to remove shredded fiber, dirt
advanced technology and easy-to-use color
and debris from a 2-1/2” (-) broken glass product.
touch screen, in combination with NRT’s ability to
The system consists of a vibratory screen, aspirator,
remotely tune and diagnose the equipment, makes
combi-separator and dust filter. These modular
the SpydIR™ flexible for tomorrow’s needs. As
components can be arranged to easily fit an
Newby Island’s material changes, the equipment
existing operation or new facility design. The
can adjust to keep up.
precise air separation delivers a marketable glass
NRT COLORPLUS™
The NRT ColorPlus™ Imaging System is an
advanced image processing system designed
product and in most cases, the shredded fiber can
be reclaimed with the combi-separator and added
to a mixed paper product.
to target and sort materials based on color
DUST COLLECTION SYSTEM
analysis and sophisticated form factor
Material agitation causes ambient dust throughout
recognition. Powerful high-speed processors and
a MRF. To combat this, negative-pressure ducting
proprietary recognition algorithms analyze color,
and dust collectors were incorporated into the fiber
transparency, opacity, and physical form factors
screens to contain
including opaque analysis and label recognition
and filter particulate,
for errorless object targeting.
dramatically
AIR ASPIRATORS (5)
reducing airborne
dust, simplifying
Pulls light material including film and fiber at
dust removal and
various points in the system, for efficient separation
creating a healthier
of these materials from heavier organics, metals
environment for
and containers.
employees. The
NIHOT SINGLE DRUM SEPARATORS (2)
air duct system
transports the dust
The Nihot Single Drum Separator (SDS) consists of a
to the dust collector
recirculation fan, a separation section with a rotating
located outside the
drum and a connecting expansion chamber. With
building.
over 65 years’ experience, Nihot has over 750
operation installations worldwide. This technology
KEITH WALKING FLOORS (5)
is extremely effective and separating all types of
This unique conveying system is a series of floor
waste based on material density. At Newby Island,
slats, powered by a hydraulic drive. In contrast to
the Nihot units separate out the heavy fraction from
regular conveyors, walking floors allow for use of
light material like paper and film.
the entire bunker space, increasing capacity. As the
floor moves through its first three phases, every
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Use of Equipment/Systems and Technologies
PAGE 12
third slat restages together. The friction of the load
on the remaining two sets of slats keeps the load
from moving. During the fourth and final phase, all
slats move in unison, conveying the material onto
an infeed conveyor to a baler. Walking floors have
very low maintenance requirements.
SCADA
The SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition) is the data component of the control
system, utilizing a PC-based system to interface
with the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
system to collect data, store it in a database, and
MAGNETS (7)
allow access for reporting purposes. This enables
Ferrous metals are taken out of the waste stream at
system, increasing efficiency and reducing overall
various points in the system prior to further processing.
costs. The SCADA system is highly customizable,
EDDY CURRENT SEPARATOR
operators to make quick adjustments to the
with additional features available as needed
for flexibility and expansion. The Newby Island
Separates aluminum from a mixed stream of
Recyclery SCADA System collects data from the
containers.
following places/items:
CONTROLS AND SCADA PACKAGE
The PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers)
represent the “brains” of the entire system and
• Motor hours
• Motor start cycles
• Motor amps (when available)
• Motor speeds
• All system alarms
• System start/stop events
• In-feed start/stop events
• Downtime
• Estimated production
• NRT optical units
• Walking floors
• Air compressors
• Power monitoring
• Motor
are housed in the MCC panels with the other
The SCADA System will provide the following
components of the Control Systems. MCC panels
reporting capabilities:
allow for full access and diagnostics on site, from
outside the panel, while the system is running.
These components include the VFDs (Variable
Frequency Drives) for various pieces of equipment
which enable operators to adjust the speed of
the equipment from the HMI (Human Machine
Interface) screens in the Control Room. The
whole system can be monitored and adjusted
when necessary.
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
• Overall Equipment Efficiency
• Production Rate
• Staffing Chart Configuration/Verification
• Downtime Tracking
• Event Logging
• Equipment Power Tracking
• Preventive Maintenance Planning and Tracking
• Production Scheduling
• Optical Sorter Integration
• Walking Floor Integration
• Air Compressor Integration
Use of Equipment/Systems and Technologies
PAGE 13
6
Worker Health & Safety
Safety is Republic’s highest priority and therefore, a strict policy of
safety protocols has been created with supporting infrastructure, where
employees are trained to think, choose, and work within a training
framework designed for safety.
Safety is Republic’s portal for the achievement
The equipment design includes platforms
of exceptional customer service, and is viewed
and walkways that allow sorters to reach their
as the responsibility of all Republic employees.
workstations without having to encounter lift
Every step is taken to ensure safety in its
trucks, loaders, or other heavy equipment.
administrative offices, in its operations yards, on
Republic Services contracted Susan Eppes to review
its collection routes, and at its transfer/recycling
facilities. Republic’s excellent safety record is
achieved by the clear system of safety checks
the final layout of the facility for its compliance with
OSHA regulations and overall safety.
and balances it employs, its safety policies and
procedures, and sound decision-making used
when hiring, combined with the active retention
of the very best employees.
At the Recyclery, employees are trained on
the first day of employment on key safety
topics: Personal Protective Equipment, Lock
Out Tag Out, Confined Space, Hazardous
Communications, Blood Borne Pathogens,
Emergency Evacuation, Hearing Conservation,
Fire Extinguishers, Heat Stress, Electrical Safety,
Fall Protection, Machine Guarding, Drug &
Alcohol Awareness. Employees then receive
refresher training on these topics during monthly
safety meetings.
Employees participate in Republic Services’ Focus
6 program which trains employees on the skills
to avoid the six most serious types of losses in
our industry.
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Worker Health & Safety
PAGE 14
7
Public Acceptance,
Appearance and Aesthetics
The Newby Island Resource Recovery Park is a place of regional pride
known not only for its commitment to sustainability but also for the
advanced technologies in place. Multiple tour requests are received each
week, both locally and nationally from businesses, municipalities and
industry groups such as SWANA and CalRecycle, among many others.
Because of the desire to welcome guests in the
most professional and aestheticially-pleasing
manner, several maintenance and appearance
measures were put into place, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Installation of exterior and interior misting
systems as part of the Odor Control Program
Implementation of a falconer program to
effectively control the seagull nuisance
One full-time equipment operator and eight
full-time housekeeping laborers to clean debris
on property to prevent material from being
carried offsite
Fencing of the entire Newby Island Resource
Recovery Park to prevent litter from leaving the site
Installation of a series of coordinated signs at
the facility to better direct visitors new to the
entire facility
Republic’s hauling company washes its fleet of
trucks on a weekly basis. The exterior of the
Recyclery and other buildings have also been
recently painted and pressure washed
The steadily climbing diversion rate at the
Recyclery is due in part to the efforts of customers
and Republic employees, but also to the consistent
outreach provided through multi-lingual service
guides, posters, containers decals, educational
presentations, quarterly newsletters, live web chats,
recycling recognition awards, and case studies on
recycling best practices. Republic employs four fulltime recycling representatives and a community
relations manager to support public relations and
education. Local schools are also provided with
up to $10,000 per year in recycling “mini-grants” to
support recycling education in the classroom.
While the Recyclery may be new and improved,
Republic Services is no stranger to the surrounding
community. In recent years, Republic and the
Newby Island Resource Recovery Park received
such awards as 2009 Corporate Citizen of the Year
by the Milpitas Chamber of Commerce and 2012
Best Waste & Recycling Collection Company. The
Republic Services offers tours to the public several times
recognition is always appreciated, but the company
per month but the interest is so great it’s not always
philosophy is to partner with the community that
possible to accommodate each group. In April 2013, a
houses the operations and Republic fully embraces
video was produced and made available on Republic’s
this vision. In 2012, Republic was the largest donor
local website, republicservicesSCCO.com, highlighting the
to save the Independence Day fireworks in our
wet and dry collection and processing system. Businesses
neighboring community in addition to consistently
are able to use this video to educate staff on proper
supporting local schools, non-profits, food pantries,
sorting of wet and dry waste, while students can learn
youth sports and many other organizations that
how this revolutionary system works.
need our support to stay solvent.
Republic Services: Changing the way the world thinks about waste
2013 RECYCLING SYSTEMS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Public Acceptance, Appearance and Aesthetics
PAGE 15
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_21275853/facility-billed-worlds-largest-recycling-plant-opens-milpitas
Milpitas is new home to what's being billed as world's largest recycling plant
By Paul Rogers [email protected] San Jose Mercury News
Posted:
MercuryNews.com
MILPITAS -- With conveyor belts whirring and new equipment gleaming, a Phoenix-based recycling and
trash-hauling company on Thursday opened what it is billing as the largest recycling plant in the world in the heart
of Silicon Valley.
Republic Services, for years known as BFI, christened the $55 million facility on Dixon Landing Road in Milpitas,
adjacent to the Newby Island Landfill, which it also operates.
The 80,000-square-foot recycling plant can process up to 420,000 tons of waste a year, as high-tech equipment picks
through mountains of trash and separate plastics, office paper, aluminum cans, wood, cardboard and other materials
that can then be resold -- instead of going into the landfill.
"Everything you are looking at previously was going straight to the landfill," said Steve Miller, president of Bulk
Handling Systems, the Eugene, Ore., company that built the recycling machinery. "Now it's being recovered."
The plant replaces a smaller recycling operation on the same site.
It is the result of the San Jose City Council's decision last year to award a 15-year contract to Republic to collect and
process all of the trash and recycled materials from every business in San Jose.
There are roughly 8,000 business in San Jose whose trash and recyclables go to the plant. As part of the contract, the
city required Republic to divert 80 percent of all the waste away from landfills, or the company will face penalties.
"Landfills are a rare species," said Cheryl Wessling, a spokeswoman for San Jose's Environmental Services
Department. "This project benefits everyone, because the alternatives -- either build another landfill or haul the waste
long distances out of the county -- are expensive."
Businesses generate about one-third of all the refuse in San Jose, Wessling said. Another third comes from all
residential customers, and the final third comes from construction debris.
Gil Cheso, division manager for Republic, said by diverting 80 percent of the material from San Jose's businesses out
of the waste stream and reusing it to make new paper, glass and plastic products, the life of Newby Island landfill
will be extended by at least seven to 10 years
Before the Newby Island plant was built and the exclusive contract given to Republic, there were roughly 20
different companies that hauled business waste in San Jose to various locations, recovering only about a third of the
material for recycling.
Although the plant takes all of San Jose's business waste, it does not process residential recycled materials, yard
waste or garbage from San Jose. There are four other companies with contracts to do that: California Waste
Solutions, Garden City Sanitation, GreenWaste and GreenTeam.
The plant does process garbage and recycled materials from residential customers in about a dozen cities, including
Milpitas, and ranging from Salinas to Elk Grove.
Inside the plant on Thursday, 80 workers with hard hats, yellow vests and earplugs separated materials. The
five-story facility, which took a year to build, has 1.5 miles of conveyor belts, 307 motors and roughly 60,000 bolts.
Some parts are basic: workers hand pick plastic pieces from cardboard and newspaper on a conveyor belt, for
example. Other parts are heavy industry: magnets, balers and drum separators. And others are cutting-edge, such as
the optical system that zaps millions of plastic bottles and uses spectrometers to measure the wavelengths of light
coming off them, and then organizes them with pneumatic devices that send puffs of air out to sort each type.
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May 24, 2013 12:07:06PM MDT
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_21275853/facility-billed-worlds-largest-recycling-plant-opens-milpitas
The city's decision to give all its commercial recycling and garbage hauling business to one company raised the bills
of roughly half of the 8,000 businesses affected, and lowered the other half, depending on how much waste they
were generating and who their previous hauler was.
Much of the paper the plant recycles is sold to China, where it is shipped from the port of Oakland and turned into
new cardboard boxes, tissues and office paper. Aluminum and plastic stay in the United States.
Where a generation ago, a garbage company's main business was to collect junk nobody wanted and dump it in
landfills, today, the industry is using high-end computer and aerospace technology to carefully sift the waste of
millions of people, bundle it and sell it for a profit.
"This is state of the art," said Miller, grinning ear-to-ear.
Paul Rogers covers resources and environmental issues. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at
Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN
Page 2 of 2
May 24, 2013 12:07:06PM MDT
Republic Services Media Report for Recyclery Grand Opening 8/9‐12 As of Monday, August 13th, 2012
Media Attended Press Conference: Television:
•
NBC Bay Area
•
KTSF Channel 26 (Link below)
•
ABC‐7 TV (Link below)
•
KPIX CBS
•
KTVU FOX
Radio:
• KGO Radio Print:
• San Jose Mercury News
• William Turley, CD Recycling Magazine
Highlights of Coverage: World's Largest And Most Extensive Material Processing System Is Open For ... U.S. Politics Today 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ ‐‐ Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG), today officially flipped the switch on the world's largest recycling operation, which can process up to 110 tons‐per‐hour of multiple waste streams, and sets a new standard for the recycling industry. Republic unveils world's 'largest recycling operation' Waste & Recycling News ‐ 3 hours ago Republic Services Inc. today unveiled what it's calling the "largest recycling operation in the world." The Phoenix‐based company's Newby Island Resource Recovery Park in Milpitas, Calif., will be able to process up to 110 tons of multiple waste streams per ... Republic Services Opens World's Largest Material Recovery Facility Virtual‐Strategy Magazine The 110 tons‐per‐hour (tph) multi‐stream system – designed, manufactured, and installed by Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) – is the first and largest of its kind and sets a new standard for recycling facilities. The facility processes all commercial waste generated ... Republic Opens ‘World’s Largest Recycling Plant ... Republic Services Inc. opened what it says is the largest recycling operation in the world, a 110‐
ton per hour, multiple waste stream facility in Milpitas ... waste360.com/...opens‐world‐s‐
largest‐recycling‐plant ‐ Cached Facility billed as world's largest recycling plant opens in ... MILPITAS ‐‐ With conveyer belts whirring and new equipment gleaming, a Phoenix‐based recycling and trash hauling company on Thursday opened what it is ... www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_21275855/facility... ‐ Cached Facility billed as world's largest recycling plant opens in ... Facility billed as world's largest recycling plant opens in Milpitas ♦ With conveyer belts whirring and new equipment gleaming, a Phoenix‐based recycling and trash ... www.onenewspage.com/...as‐world‐largest‐recycling‐plant.htm Republic Opens ‘World’s Largest Recycling Plant ... Republic Services Inc. opened what it says is the largest recycling operation in the world, a 110‐
ton per hour, multiple waste stream facility in Milpitas ... waste360.com/...opens‐world‐s‐largest‐recycling‐plant Milpitas is new home to what's being billed as world's ... Milpitas is new home to what's being billed as world's largest recycling plant MILPITAS, Aug 10, 2012 (San Jose Mercury News ‐ McClatchy‐Tribune Info www.menafn.com/menafn/c576c36f‐f420‐4b9a‐95da‐c96f224292... Media Coverage: http://www.recyclingtoday.com/republic‐services‐holds‐mrf‐grand‐opening.aspx http://www.cdrecycler.com/republic‐services‐holds‐mrf‐grand‐opening.aspx NBC Bay Area Live on 8.9.12 5:30 a.m. News and 7:00 a.m. o 5:37 a.m. for 2 minutes o 6:15 a.m. for 2 minutes o 7:00 a.m. for 2 minutes http://www.dailymarkets.com/stock/2012/08/09/republic‐ services‐opens‐worlds‐
largest‐material‐recovery‐facility/ http://www.4‐traders.com/REPUBLIC‐SERVICES‐INC‐14296/news/Republic‐Services‐Inc‐
World‐s‐Largest‐And‐Most‐Extensive‐Material‐Processing‐System‐Is‐Open‐For‐
14454381/ http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/article/20120809/NEWS02/120809902 http://waste360.com/republic‐services/republic‐opens‐world‐s‐largest‐recycling‐plant http://www.virtual‐strategy.com/2012/08/09/republic‐services‐opens‐
world%E2%80%99s‐largest‐material‐recovery‐facility http://www.waste‐management‐world.com/index/display/article‐
display/0726729100/articles/waste‐management‐
world/recycling/2012/08/Republic_Services_Opens_World_s_Largest_Recycling_Facility
_in_San_Jose.html http://www.ktsf.com/en/south‐bay‐recycling‐facility/ http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8768577 http://resourcerecycling.com/node/3002 http://www.recyclingtoday.com/republic‐services‐newby‐island‐mrf.aspx http://www.areadevelopment.com/newsItems/8‐10‐2012/republic‐services‐recycling‐
facility‐investment‐operation‐milpitas‐california‐8244666.shtml